former. To raise a party or sect, to exist certainly not more than twelve years, and now not more than three years, you cannot suppose it to be an object. Again, thousands, and even tens of thousands more of you can witness, that I have begged of you to make no divisions in your churches or sects; that we had more than enough already. I have advised all men of every sect not to separate from their brethren, if they could live among them and enjoy christian privileges. I have often given my advice to those who have complained of persecution among their brethren, to live down persecution by well-ordered lives and godly conversation. Surely, my brethren, you will say this doth not look like sectarianism. And then, to cap the climax of arguments, a Rev. D. D. of the Baptist order cries out, "It is all moonshine." "Amen," says the Universalist minister. This is argument well endorsed. My opponents have been in the habit, too, of spreading false reports, in order to destroy the influence of what they could not confute, and by ridicule try to destroy what in sober reason they could not condemn. They have published my death in the public papers, when some of them knew it to be faise. They have published, and reported, over and over again, that I had altered my calcula tion of prophetic time a hundred years. They have published the foolish story, that I would not gamble away my little home, in order to convince wicked and corrupt men that I believed the doctrine that I preached. They have told and published too that I built stone-wall instead of rail-fence on my farm. Some have gone into distant places, and reported that I was building a large house with money I got for preaching, when the truth is I built a house in 1817, of small dimensions. They have reported that I was insane, and had been in a mad-house seven years; if they had said a mad world fifty-seven years, I must have plead guilty to the charge. They have reported, that, for preaching this doctrine in many places, I have been cast into prison. They have reported, that city authorities had ordered me to leave

their jurisdictions, and not to preach publicly within their borders. Here let me state, as an act of justice to my country, and honorable to our rulers, that in no case has any officer, in any city or town that ever I have been in, or under any government, interfered between me and my duty, or misused me in any manner; but wherever I have had any occasion for their assistance, I have ever found them prompt and energetic in their measures, and kind and gentlemanly in their manners. I wish I could say as

much of some of our bigoted clergymen. These, and many more foolish and false reports, have been circu- . lated through our country; yes, and by those who ought to be examples of the flock and shepherds in Israel. And now let us take a view of the effects produced by the promulgation of this doctrine, and see how much evidence we have that it is of God.

1. Wherever this subject has been presented to the people with any fairness, it has been invariably said, and you yourselves are witnesses, that it has produced a general reading and searching of the Bible; our enemies themselves being witnesses also. This cannot be called a bad effect.

2. Wherever this fruit has been seen, ("the searching of Bible,") it has produced a complete revolution with a large majority of such in their faith and hope. And whereas some did not believe that Christ was ever coming again to the earth, or, if he did, it was a great while yet to come, and of course there could be no such thing as watching for his return with such; now they are anxiously looking for his glorious appearing. This must have the happiest influence on the mind and life of every individual who thus believes. Again, many were of opinion, that the church in some future period would enjoy a long time of unexampled prosperity; while those who had slept would sleep on for 1000 years, and some supposed 365,000 years; and of course they would not be united with their brethren, nor be satisfied, until a vast number of years had rolled away, for the resurrection could not take place until after

that period. Now they believe in the near approach of the resurrection, and the final union of all the saints, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; and that the great Sabbath will be enjoyed as a day of rest, with all the children at home. There is a great difference between their former and present faith, as well as hope. And you can all judge which is most scriptural, and congenial with the christian heart.

3. There were many, very many, sleeping and slumbering over this important subject, of the coming of Christ, the judgment day, and the glorious reign. Now, in every part of the christian world, the cry is being made, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him;" and the response is heard, "Come tell us of these things." And you, my brethren, are my witnesses, many of you, that hundreds, yea thousands, have been as it were chained to their seats for hours, silent as the tomb, to hear this subject discussed.

4. In every place where this subject has been judiciously preached, and the necessity of repentance properly enforced, the sceptic, the deist, the Universalist, the impenitent and the careless of all classes, have been made by the power of the Spirit to see and feel their danger, and to seek for the forgiveness of their sins by repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Many of you, my brethren, can witness to the saving influence of preaching “the kingdom of God at hand," as a motive to repentance, and to a godly life and conversation.

5. We have the consolation of seeing many of our best ministers renouncing the doctrine of the temporal millennium, believing in the Second Advent as near at hand; and the kingdom of God in its glorified state about to be established on the ruins of the kingdoms of this world; the resurrection of the just, and judgment of the saints; the reign of Christ on the earth 1000 years; then the resurrection of the wicked, and the finale, or close of the judgment. I know and have heard of more than three hundred in

the United States, and in all probability double that number may be found! Fifteen years ago, there were none, publicly known, in these United States. "This is the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes." And what is equally as marvellous, is, that there are some among all christian nations who are proclaiming this doctrine; and these, too, all coming out about the same time! Again, we find some of them among all sects or denominations, except among Universalists, and as they are the sect to which Paul alludes, 1 Thes. v. 3, the reason is very obvious why none of them believe. What has caused all this great movement to one point? Have our periodicals accomplished this? No, my brethren; five years ago not an individual could be found who had moral courage enough to edit a paper advocating these doctrines. Have societies been formed to carry the news? No. Have missionaries been sent out by any Board or sect? No. Have seminaries taught their students and sent them out to tell the church of the approach of her blessed Lord? No. What has revived and brought this soul-reviving news to the suffering children of God? Have wicked men? Our opponents dare not accuse us thus. What then has moved the wheel that rolls this blessed sound, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh?" Is it Satan? Look at the effects, and tell me what object he could have in opposing his own kingdom? How inconsistent he must be to oppose his own children thus! see how angry they are, how it disturbs their ranks! Will Beelzebub cast out devils? Again, where this doctrine is promulgated, see our churches waking up and trimming their lamps; see sinners converted, saints lifting up their heads and rejoicing! Has Satan become a missionary of this cast? Then I shall look for Christ to dismiss some of his "dumb dogs," and employ better men. No, my brethren, reason and common sense tell us better. What then has called out some of every class, of every sect, in every place, and in all lands, with different gifts and discordant views on other points, to harmonize in this?

The answer must be obvious; a child could tell us what; it is the Spirit and power of God. It is he who has promised "to do nothing but he will reveal his secret to his servants the prophets." He can move upon the minds of his servants to read bis word. He can open it to their understandings. He can call them to publish it far and near. He can protect them from the anger of men, and the fowler's snare. He will do his will on earth as in heaven, and no one can say, Why doest thou thus ?

Now let me address you in particular, my brethren in the gospel ministry, of every sect, who believe in the speedy coming of our Divine Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Many of our fathers in the gospel have undoubtedly desired to see the day which you now see is very nigh, but have fallen asleep in Christ and saw it not. For us who now live is reserved the most important period that inan ever saw on earth: the time when these heavens and this earth are rolling together like a scroll, and the history of the world and the church are folding up for the judgment; the time when the last remnant of prophecy is unfolding its leaves, and the last promise of God will be verified, "Surely I come quickly;"-at the time when the friends of the Bridegroom are giving the midnight cry, and the wise virgins are going out to meet him ;-at the time when we see the signs of the Son of Man in heaven, and soon the clouds will bring him to our view;at the time when the last vial of God's wrath is emptying its last plague on the earth, and the kingdoms of the whole world are gathering to the battle; -when the harvest of the earth is being reaped, and the gathering of the vine has evidently begun ;when the nations are angry, and the wrath of God will soon be manifested against our aggravated and national sins; when many are running to and fro, and knowledge is rapidly increasing in the earth;when the different sects in Christendom are dividing, and proving to the world that the end of all things which can be shaken is at hand. My brethren, "can